Peoria police say the drug market on Peoria's south side is stronger than ever.

They say there are open-air drug markets, where anyone can pull-up and buy drugs, out in the open. A Peoria police Sargent says drugs are the catalyst for crime.

"It is not just the unregistered commerce of drugs that bothers people. It is the hanging out, the shooting, the gang activity, everything that is associated with it. That's what we are trying to curtail with this program," said special investigation Sgt. Michael Eddlemon.

The program is called Drug Market Intervention, or DMI. Police mapped the city's crime reports finding the large majority of them occur within an eight-block radius on Peoria's south side, nicknamed the hot spot.

For hundreds of hours throughout the summer, police worked undercover in that hot spot making drug deals, getting each one on video.

As a result, 23 men and women were arrested throughout the weekend. They have been charged with either class one or two felonies, depending on the amount of drugs they sold.

Peoria police say in total, they made 45 buys from 29 different suspects, everything from crack-cocaine to marijuana to heroin.

"We're seeing a lot more heroin coming into the city, it's cheaper and what we're being told is the effects of the drug last longer," said Eddlemon.

"There are so many young boys, mostly boys, standing in groups. You know what they're doing because they are standing around on coroners, in front of the store and you can see them, they don't hide it, they're really open with it," said one neighbor living within the hot spot.

The neighbors we interviewed asked to remain anonymous, because they're afraid of retribution from the dealers. They say the neighborhood they grew up in and have lived in for decades has been destroyed by drugs, but they either refuse to leave, or can't afford to.

"Why should I have to leave? I am not the one doing the bad things. My heart is here, this neighborhood is a part of me," said one neighbor.

These neighbors, the police, even the Peoria County State's Attorney's Office want to give this neighborhood a second chance. That's why as a part of the DMI program 6 of the drug dealers are being offered a deal.

"Either because they don't have much of a criminal record, or the criminal record they do have isn't violent in nature," said Assistant Peoria County State's Attorney, Seth Uphoff.

Uphoff spent hours forming the cases against the dealers, including the ones getting the second chance. On Wednesday, those six dealers have been asked to come to a call-in. When they show up they'll be confronted with a proposal.

"We could charge you, but we will hold it, give you the opportunity to become a productive member of your community. If you're not able to do that, we will press these charges and prosecute you," said Uphoff.

The charges will be waiting for three years. That's why at the call-in the dealers will also find a room full of police, social service agencies, community figures and relatives offering to help the dealers get jobs and stay straight. The hope is these six aren't so far gone into a life-long career in crime, given this chance they can redeem themselves.

Not everyone is convinced it will work.

"Maybe, I'm gonna put a maybe on it, they're just so used to easy money," said one neighbor.

One thing everyone agrees on, is for this work all parties- from the police to the state's attorney to the neighbors- have to work together.

As far as the costs of the program, all parties involved said it was work they would have been doing anyway, so there wasn't any additional cost.

If you live in the neighborhood and are interested in attending the call-in for the six selected drug dealers, it is on Wednesday at 6:30 at the Neighborhood House on Peoria's south side.